Gear Check: Razer Lycosa, DeathAdder, Destructor

One of the things I've always liked about World of Warcraft is the fact that it is a relatively low maintenance PC game - it doesn't require the most hardcore hardware and expensive doodads in order to still provide an enjoyable gaming experience. I remember when I first started playing WoW, in May of 2005, I was playing on a salvaged Hewlett-Packard desktop with barely a month left of life in it, reveling in the much-loved experience of on-board video and way less than a gig of RAM.

I played through a ton of content on this machine, eventually upgrading my RAM so I wouldn't always die in C'Thun's Dark Glare. I played on this machine thru Burning Crusade and all the way into Black Temple until the PC would finally have no more, and began greeting me with a Blue Screen of Death every raid. It was then I swore I would have no more of this foolishness, and I built the beloved PC I have today. It's gone through a few hardware upgrades, a new video card here, a new sound card there.

One thing I hadn't ever really put much thought into upgrading was its peripherals - the keyboard and mouse.

Using a different keyboard and mouse can completely change your gaming experience. True, the contribution and benefit of having a "gaming" mouse or keyboard may not be nearly as noticeable in World of Warcraft as it is in say, Counter-Strike: Source, but there are significant improvements that can be seen in both PVE and PVP content. I've always been a hardcore raider, so my first instinct was to go with the pressure and purchase a Logitech G11 Gaming Keyboard. I've recommended the keyboard countless times - it's a solid piece of hardware. It's built well, offers the great features of the Logitech G15 without the LCD screen (which, due to desk limitations, would never have gotten used anyway) and features next to a bajillion programmable macro keys that you can assign to do your bidding (Ok, 18 keys with 3 different modes for a total of 54 macros per game). But after using my G11 for over a year I learned something about myself - I wasn't using those macro keys. They were off to the side, taking up space, being in their own little world. I spoke with other G11/G15 users about their macro keys. Quite a few told me they used them for raid markers. One person had different ranks of the spell mapped to them (this, of course, being before the lovely downranking nerf Blizzard granted us). I realized that I couldn't really find a use for these keys that, to me, were actually inconvenient to use. I don't use my pinky as much, I guess. Because of these macro keys that, admittedly, I wasn't using, the keyboard was also enormous which rendered my available mousing surface almost nonexistant. I decided it was time to move on.

Out With The Old, In With The New

The decision to switch from my G11 keyboard was hard, but I found a worthy replacement - a Razer Lycosa Gaming Keyboard. The phrase "gaming keyboard" is kinda overly glorified - especially in the case of World of Warcraft which many people would consider to requiring little more than you would need in an Internet chat room. But that isn't always the case - there are a lot of perks about having excellent peripherals to aide in PVE and PVP content, and the Lycosa definitely does not fall short in providing for these scenarios. One thing I noticed immediately upon switching keyboard is the difference in layout. The bulky G-keys panel is gone, which means I actually have room on my keyboard tray for the mouse (and I can move it, too)! Instead of G-keys, the Lycosa uses a nicely designed programmable macro interface which allows you to assign any key on the keyboard to do any task. You can create up to 10 profiles for programs of custom recorded macros, and switch between profiles at any time. This way, instead of having to rely on the inconvenient G-key layout, you can remap any key to do whatever you'd like. In the case of World of Warcraft, this isn't too big of a deal since most of the alpha keys are already assigned to in-game commands and you can technically fight around with the in-game keybindings menu as much as you'd like. This does make things quite a bit easier in other games, where a seemingly simple task as mapping a set of keystrokes to a single key would require editing .cfg files and generally being more of a pain than it should be.

My absolute favourite feature about this keyboard is the keyboard itself - rather than having the typical, raised keyset found on basically any domestic keyboard, the Lycosa instead features a keypad similar to that of a laptop. These mostly flat, slightly-raised keys do require a bit of getting used to but once you've become accustomed to them I can't see how anyone would prefer anything else. They're insanely comfortable to type with and switching from key to key on the fly (in the heat of battle!) is quick, painless and easy. I barely have to take my hands up from the keyboard and never again does a finger "slip" or miss hitting an important key. This is also thanks to the non-slip, rubberized finish on the keys - quite a change from the normal plastic keys. It felt weird, at first, but I got used to them after barely a few hours of gameplay. They're kind of a pain to clean off, though, so I wouldn't advise cookies and milk at the desk (yes, I've already had this incident). I used a tiny, "laptop-style" keyboard for quite some time (a tiny Viewsonic ViewMate model, sans numpad) for both work and play, so getting back into the hang of things was rather easy - though I can totally see how some players may have a difficult time adjusting. I had forgotten how comfortable the keys were to use, and this keyboard offers no exceptions - smooth, comfortable gameplay in my preferred MMOs and FPS. Oh, it also looks awesome - a smooth, sleek design with a black gloss finish, and an cool blue backlight. The backlight can be toggled via a touch-sensitive panel at the top right of the keyboard, which also houses media controls that can be set to function with any major media player (mine's set to iTunes)! The keyboard offers three settings - full backlight, no backlight, and "WASD cluster" lighting which brightly lights only the WASD keys (I suppose for fragging in the dark?). I stick to the domestic, full backlight as that's what I was used to from before and it just looks downright cool. The keyboard also features a USB port and a headphone/microphone jack but I wasn't able to use that without hearing an interference hum so I stuck with my sound card's inputs - interference is a pain to troubleshoot.

Completing The Set

A good keyboard is nothing without a good mouse, and my beloved Logitech MX518 had seen better days. The "on the fly" sensitivity adjustment had always been a little wonky (even when allegedly turned off) and the mouse's traction was giving up on me after only a few years. This is where Razer's DeathAdder comes in - a sexy, sexy mouse. World of Warcraft doesn't really require nearly as much attention to precision and detail as a FPS so most of the DeathAdder's features go pretty unnoticed by the average gamer. That being said, I didn't notice them really so much in a FPS but I'm also not even close to being a hardcore gamer. The sensitivity behaved fairly better than my MX518 though I'd definitely have to take some time working with in-game adjustment - I had to lower my in-game sensitivity in Steam by like 7 points and I still sometimes "lose control" of the mouse. The keys are much more sensitive, as well, and I've found myself accidenltly clicking a key when I don't want to. The mouse looks awesome, with a glowing blue backlight to the scrollwheel and an illuminating Razer logo on the body of the mouse - it's definitely got it's stage presence down. The mouse has the same feel as the keyboard, which is also pretty cool though I wasn't a big fan of the grips - the mouse was constantly pulling itself downwards towards its wire, which would result in my crosshair flying up into the sky. I had to give it a bit more slack with the wire to prevent this, which makes me wonder why the keyboard didn't come with a wire clip to keep things under control. The mouse also features programmable buttons on the side, which I've heard a lot of WoW gamers prefer to use for common skills such as for tanks or healers. I'm using the mouse paired with one of Razer's professional gaming mousing surfaces, the Destructor surface. I was previously using a fUnc Surface 1030, and for almost any scenario - especially in World of Warcraft - you will not notice any significant difference playing either on a gaming mousepad or on the one that came with your WoW collector's edition. You will notice it quite more in PVP and some PVE encounters, and that's where having a surface like this truly shines. The mousing surface is great and the pad has a non-slip, rubberized base so it's not sliding around everywhere (something my fUnc pad did, and drove me crazy with). The price is a little steep - like I said, most WoW players would probably never notice a difference in their casual play, but it's pretty worth it for the price. The shape is a little odd, and I guess I have the smallest desk surface in the history of mankind (I'm using a keyboard tray) so I have to use the Destructor sideways, which its shape is not exactly made for - but it still works fine. It also comes with a carrying case, which would be cool except we all know that World of Warcraft gamers never leave the house, and therefore would need no means to transport a mousepad.

Ultimately, there's probably a vast majority of World of Warcraft players who are perfectly fine and great players using just a domestic mouse and keyboard, such as one that was bundled with a PC, without any bells, whistles and ultimate fragging precision. Will you see a difference in playing with "gaming" peripherals? Maybe, maybe not. When it comes to FPS games, more likely than not - I did notice a significant difference after getting used to the new hardware in the FPS games I play over Steam, though I did have a little loss of control with the mouse (probably because ultimately there is more control than I'm used to) so I will need to get more adjusted. In World of Warcraft, I found the keys more comfortable to switch between for casting my various heals and basically facerolling through Wrath of the Lich King content. The mouse is pretty moot, as its used strictly for movement and navigation and was never incredibly difficult before. What kind of gear do you guys pack for your World of Warcraft experience? How do you feel about all of the hype surrounding "gaming" branded peripherals - are they worth it?

Comment by ollan1

Comment by Zetrix

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:45:51 -0600

I have never found hardware to be a problem for WoW, but the standard equipment that came with my computer was worthless. I switched to the G11 Logitech Keyboard, and a Microsoft Laser Mouse 6000. I also got a mousepad from SteelSeries.

Comment by aacid

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:52:03 -0600

I have g11 myself and I must admit I don't use g-keys at all...And as mouse I have MS Sidewinder and I love it! with razer exactmat mousepad...

Comment by Falcon213

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:24:46 -0600

Personally I'm not a big fan of "gaming" keyboards, as the keys are narrower and easier to fat-finger. Still, finding a keyboard that will support multiple presses in every combination are tough to find without using a gaming keyboard (I actually just use my laptop keyboard these days -- works well after getting used to it but I'm still not satisfied).

As for the mouse... after getting an MX610 several years ago, I just couldn't see using anything but it's newer rendition (the MX620) when I went on the fritz a few months ago. Yes, it's wireless. But in this age where batteries are no longer a probelm (I've changed these once, and the software warns you waaaay before they actually need to be changed), I just couldn't see why anyone would mess around with a cord. The mouse has nice, sturdy back and forward buttons (like any respectable mouse should have), has an extra find button on top which can be re-mapped to anything (with the correct software), and has an amazingly fun free-spin wheel (can be switched to regular wheel mode for those who need precision). Oh did I mention it has the same precision laser as the G9? Pair it with some Sanyo Eneloop batteries (they come pre-charged) and you're ready to go.

Comment by Taeri

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:56:14 -0600

I use my laptop, the keyboard on the laptop, and the mousepad thing... on the laptop.It's a thing I've gotten used to, but only because I've had to. There's no room for another desk in my appartment, and the boyfriend has his computer on the only desk our appartment has. So I am banised to the sofa having the laptop on my lap.

But I make due with what I have! And am just happy I have a computer at all.

Comment by morbeo

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 07:27:51 -0600

Heh, I'm using Deathadder myself paired with eXactMat and G11. Unfortunately the mouse internals are pretty sensitive and after a little fall-from-the-desk accident in the summer it tend to stop working at all the wrong times.

Comment by Sinespe

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 07:29:58 -0600

I've had my G11 for over a year and ... yeah ... I haven't used the G-keys much. I think the only time I bothered mapping them was for Gorefiend, because it was handy to have G1, 2 and 3 just set to the aoe/shock/shackle thing. I do have rather a thing for laptop-esque keyboards, though, so maybe the Razer is worth looking into ... If it's made in the UK as well, of course*. (The G11, thankfully, is ... You crazy Americans, with your @ and " reversed)

Comment by NoHealsForYou

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 08:32:01 -0600

I'm still using what came with my PC. Sure, I've tried all these 'fancy gaming' keyboards and mouse (mice?) but I'm so used to the mine that I can't change. The key pressure, the spacings, the feel of the mouse. Stick with what works for you, imo, not what works for someone else. I'm judged to be the best healer in our guild (not self thought) and I only just started using Grid+Clique with modifying keys last week to test them out, never mind using all these fancy gizmo's every one else uses! My point? You don't need them. All these keyboards with "streamlined keys for better touch", "now comes with 88 inbuilt macro's for easier response times" or mice with "new, improved casing provides a better hand position for a more relaxed playing style and fasting reaction time" and "comes with 4 extra buttons to keep all your important spells close to hand"...they're just gimicks, you don't need them to be a good player. And before someone uses some cliche response, no, they don't turn you from a good player to a great player either. They do, however, line the pockets of developers with a nice tidy sum so that you can play to the same standard as anyone else! Huzzah

Comment by jielook

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 09:10:20 -0600

I use thinkpad T42 now,but it can run WOW verywell,haha.

Comment by Inhaler

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 12:11:03 -0600

Now I'm sitting here thinking about buying these... haha. They look so pretty. Thanks for the link/money sink. D: Good read none-the-less, though. *Stares at $15 keyboard and mouse that came with comp*

Comment by ABKuroNeko

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:20:01 -0600

That combo of the keyboard and mouse look so pretty but I've been using the Merc Stealth keyboard for over a year now and I absolutely love it. I have so much trouble now playing on a regular keyboard cuz I'm used to where the action buttons are on the Merc. For those of you who don't know what the Merc Stealth is, its made by the makers of the Z Board so it kinda has that area on the keyboard that has all the buttons I'd ever need in one little area.

I also love having a little gaming mouse that has one button on the side that I use for auto-walk and one button on the other for jumping.

Edit: Also whats cool about the Merc Stealth is cool because it lights up in colors and you can change it between red, blue and purple (I use the purple). Now I know the shiny colors don't matter, but as I'm a girl, I like pretty things ^_^

Comment by vexis58

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:25:51 -0600

My keyboard is a laptop-like flat keyboard without any macros or things like that, it doesn't even have a keypad. They make a version with a keypad, but I don't really use it, so I take the version without one to give me more mouse room.

My mouse on the other hand, is a Logitech MX400 Performance Laser mouse. I like how the two extra buttons are on the side so I can press them with my thumb, because I simply can't get used to having extra buttons in the middle of the mouse. I don't really consider the mouse wheel to be a "button" because it feels so awkward to press down on it. Thumb buttons are much more instinctive to press, and I tend to put my emergency buttons there.

Comment by Primar

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 14:58:34 -0600

I personally loathe "gaming" keyboards - more often than not, the supposed features are either useless for me, or the general build of the keyboard lets it down, which I wouldn't be happy with for the asking price. I never wanted a G11/15, for example, because they're so damn big and I'd never be bothered to use the macro keys anyway. The LED panel is nice enough, but let's face it - there's very little you'd use it for that you can't already do. Maybe display music track title/artists, but do you really need a LED panel to find that info out?

Even worse is keyboards that have non-standard keys or layouts, or those awful overlay-styled things that render the board nigh-on useless for anything other than the specific game. I've always thought they were a bit of a marketing con, aimed at people who have more money than sense. If you're good at a game, you don't NEED to be told what each key does - you learn it.

Things like the Nostromo Speedpad are a bit of an exception to this, since I can see where they'd be useful, and they don't wholly replace your board. I've never been bothered enough to buy/try one out, but I can imagine it'd be useful if you had the cash and deskspace.

I've been looking for a decent, solid, non-"gaming" keyboard for a while, but I'm quite tempted by the Lycosa after having a readup on it. I'll probably look into replacing all my peripherals after Christmas when I get paid - currently using a standard Dell workstation keyboard that I nicked from work, along with a 3 year old 3-button Intellimouse, which I bought with my PC and has served me fine ever since. I use it on one of the old-school black glass Icemats, which I've never had a real problem with - the only issue is that it needs dusting occasionally otherwise the dirt clumps up on the mat, and the black paint on the underside is starting to fade/chip after this many years. It can also be a bit noisy - when you move your mouse, you make a slight scraping noise, which I barely notice, but other people in the room can occasionally get slightly irritated by.

Comment by Sindele

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 18:12:02 -0600

Stick with what works for you, imo, not what works for someone else.. ..never mind using all these fancy gizmo's every one else uses! My point? You don't need them.. ..they're just gimicks, you don't need them to be a good player. And before someone uses some cliche response, no, they don't turn you from a good player to a great player either.

Stick with your first response, there. Stick with what works for you.

Maybe you don't need them, but they can improve reaction times and offer more convenient ways to do what you could before. Sure, I don't need the fourth button on my G5, but it beats binding ctrl+some other key to do what I can with one press of the mouse button.

Comment by amagaim

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 19:01:34 -0600

Am I the only person that actually uses a trackball? Or am I just the only one daft enough to admit it?

I've had this old Logitech MAR T-CM14 for over 5 years now, and it has never given me any problems whatsoever. There may not be a scroll wheel or fancy backlighting, but it gets the job done. My turning speed is usually faster than other users can register, which comes as a surprise when I start throwing 360s and LOS instants at my pursuers while running flags, and the desk-space footprint is easily a quarter the size of a full-up gaming mousepad with wrist-rest. (Of course, that leaves me with room for my coffee cup. Easy access to everything, that is my motto.)

Just moving your fingers rather than your entire hand does take some getting used to, especially when you first get it. But I've never looked back.

Comment by Oathmaker

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:06:41 -0600

Well, I dont need anything other than a standard USB mouse with two buttons (lol) and a decent keyboard.

I'm still using a HP Pack-in keyboard (I have no idea the make and model, its just that, a pack in) and a HP USB mouse (not a pack-in, that one broke, but they're both Optical!)

And I raid just fine. Sure, I'd LOVE to have a new mouse/keyboard set, these ones arent really making me too happy, but they get the job done.

I'd also like more ram, a new video card, a new sound card, new speakers, etc. Laundry list of upgrades for this pc, I think i'm just gonna get a new one...

Edit: @ Above Poster : No, a guildmate of mine uses a trackball. I dont see how :(. you can turn faster, but what good does that do you, if you turn too much? with a real mouse comes precision.

Comment by Bartmasta

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:31:54 -0600

Nice post.

Currently I use a basic 5 dollar Logitech Keyboard and Mouse. Very simple but does the job.

Although I'm considering getting a gaming keyboard. At least for WoW. Sometimes I have trouble using some of my skills because there are too many to bind to my keyboard. Light up keys look sexy and useful for gaming if you have the lights off.

I don't really see the need for a gaming mouse though. The extra buttons seem nice, but is it really needed? They can help but there's no need really.

Gaming pads. Why? I use my wooden desk. My cursor does not jump or anything. Moves smoothly. Not to mention that pads are annoying. I hate moving your hand on some material besides wood or things like that. They probably wouldn't fit on my desk anyways and just aren't worth it.

Now, you've talked a lot about FPS games and how gaming gear are more useful for them rather than for WoW. I fail to understand why though. I usually play Call of Duty 4, and Counter Strike: Source. There are only like a few buttons and I don't see why I need 5 more. There are 3 buttons on my mice and I can easily press buttons around WASD on my keyboard with ease.

I say if you have the money then go for it. Why not? Just don't get the most expensive stuff.

If you want to upgrade, upgrade your monitor or hardware. It's nice to have a great visual experience. Unfortunately I can't run WoW on max settings with max resolution and get more than 30 fps. Although if you're the type that concentrates on the action, and not the scenery then I think you're going to be okay with a 3 year old computer.

Comment by Blackboy0

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:04:45 -0600

I got a Gateway One so I don't have to worry about shutdown or crap like that, since I don't download crap and fill up my memory or play around with my Keyboard and Mouse.

My brother on the other hand has the same computer as me, just with 80 less GB's and seriously NO RAM, and he still downloads crap! He's not the smartest kid when it comes to computers. For the last 4 days, he's been getting the same thing as Miyari had with ye're old computer, the Blue Screen of Death because he has NO ethics or morals when downloading. If he sees something, he downloads it. You should see how many different Mouses he has...

Once again, I've totally lost my train of thought. I need more Tylenol...

Comment by Pemberton47

on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 23:55:56 -0600

I got the The Razer Tarantula™ Gaming Keyboard and the Razer Lachesis™ gaming mouse and the Razer Barracuda HP-1 Gaming Headphones and the dual-sided Razer eXactMat™ Precision Mouse Mat.I makes gaming sooooo much more enjoyable. Having nice soundcard and speakers/headset makes a big difference for me because I to talk on vent and listen to my music. :D